NEWS

Election Time: Keeping WILPF’s Non-Profit Status Safe
Post date: Tue, 06/14/2022 - 05:53

By Darien De Lu
President

June 2022

As the elections near, many WILPFers are drawn to electoral work. Indeed, one of our two 2022 Solidarity Actions is about Voter Rights. Yet, for WILPF US to stay out of unnecessary trouble with the government, it is important for WILPF members to understand what kinds of electoral work we can “safely” do as WILPFers, in contrast to what you might want to do on your own.

If you are interested in electoral work – for your WILPF branch or for yourself, acting as a WILPF US member — please inform yourself by reading the information here.

Even outside of the upcoming elections, we’re nearly all outraged by the leaked Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade. I believe we mostly agree that the Republicans in Congress and the White House strategically and intentionally took every action they could to pack the Court with anti-choice judges. Nonetheless, WILPF – as a national organization and at the branch level – is not pro- or anti- any political party, and we do not support or oppose any individual candidates. We take positions on issues.

So we can share our issue positions on our websites, via social media, with handouts, and through vigils and placards. Our banners can say “Support Reproductive Choice”. But we don’t post to social media saying, “Support Suzy Q, because she’s pro-choice. Vote for the Democrats!”

Elections are an excellent time for us to work the issues. Our tax status, as a 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code does allow us to take positions on issues and, importantly, to advocate for or against legislation. That’s one of our strengths!

Perhaps you’ve heard that some other groups, with the same federal tax status are endorsing candidates and are making statements for or against specific political parties. Some organizations even reassure 501(c)(4)’s that they can do that – without mentioning the accounting consequences (which I explain further below.)

Most of us remember the (ironically named) Citizens United decision – another very bad Supreme Court decision. That decision gave corporations “freedom of speech” rights, and (yes!) WILPF is a corporation with those rights. But we don’t have a team of accountants and attorneys! The IRS is not out to get us – yet we must avoid the potholes.

First, there’s the easy part! One fundamental electoral issue is simply being able to vote, and WILPF may do voter-registration work on a non-partisan basis. That means that a WILPF branch should stay clear of organized voter registration activities sponsored by or associated with any specific political party; choose non-partisan activities.

At the same time, branches and WILPF members can be strategic in where/how we choose to do voter registration. Opt to register voters in areas or at times in which we anticipate those registering are more likely to support our principles! And, in registering voters, we may answer questions, but we don’t recommend or support a party or a candidate.

The IRS does provide lots of online and fairly useful info.  I’ve researched this topic of what a 501(c)(4) organization can do politically and safely repeatedly over the years, and I don’t believe we need to consult a lawyer. Just remember the key points:

1) We don’t want to be partisan!

We have ample influence by addressing the issues and legislation, and in doing so we avoid causing divisions among our members.  We may disagree about what party to support, and that’s fine, because we (mostly!) agree on our positions, based on WILPF principles.

2) This has very little effect on our individual electoral actions and activity.

You can act as an individual; just don’t do so “as WILPF”. At a WILPF event, please don’t urge others to vote for specific candidates or parties.   

3) Branches and their activities should steer clear of party politics. For example, a WILPF branch doesn’t allow electoral campaigners at the monthly WILPF vigil. Still, we need not be perfect! If someone slips up in an isolated incident and hands out campaign literature for a candidate at a WILPF event, we firmly – yet gently – ask them to stop that, since we’re non-partisan.

4) We want to protect our tax-exempt status, which usefully applies to our branches throughout the country.

So we avoid doing things that could attract the attention of IRS or state government officials. Otherwise, we might have to more carefully track everything we do, in order to document that such partisan activity wasn’t our “primary activity”. Such tracking – of staff hours, of expenses for printing, of the value of in-kind volunteer activity – is time-consuming and (therefore) costly.

In summary, individuals can do as they please when not acting within or in the name of WILPF. The following apply to WILPF activities, branches, and committees: 

  • WILPF voter registration activities must be non-partisan. 
  • We do not endorse or support any party or candidate nor use or distribute any materials that do. 

 

 

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Get Involved with WILPF US by Joining a Committee!
Post date: Tue, 06/14/2022 - 05:46

by Dianne Blais
WILPF US Secretary

June 2022

Numerous committees in WILPF US are seeking members! In addition to the Issue Committees which any member can join at any time, there are numerous committees that would appreciate additional members and help. Being on a committee is informative, not just about the committee topic but also how WILPF operates. It is a great stepping stone to being on the WILPF US Board.

WILPF US has Standing and Ad Hoc Committees. The Standing Committees are headed by a board member. You can go to wilpfus.org/about/national-board to learn about the board chairs of these committees. The Ad Hoc Committees were formed for specific purposes and to meet arising needs. Ad Hoc Committees can be temporary, although most are ongoing with various periods of activity. 

Additionally, WILPF US is forming a mediation resource pool, could use help with its two United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) Programs, and with WILPF Zoom calls.

The following Ad Hoc Committees have expressed a desire for new members:

Branch Support Committee: Support the growth and health of local branches by designing and supervising programs to assist and support.

Communications Committee: This committee seeks to improve and enhance WILPF US communications of all kinds.

  • Clarify and disseminate information on our communications options – to and for branches, issue committees, at-large members, and the board and standing committees.
  • Get the word out, including via e-communications, possible petitions (in conjunction with the Program Committee), the website, and other email distribution lists.
  • Review, evaluate, and propose improvements for WILPF US materials, including how to make them more readily available electronically on our website; web posting info for branches to share such as leaflets, brochures, photos, graphics, banners, and ideas for campaigns.

Legislative Committee: Help coordinate legislative actions for branches and encourage branches to create local Legislative Committees to work together to amplify our voices. During this period, we have become used to meeting and working together online. Now we can meet and coordinate as a National Legislative Committee, choosing issues to focus on and unifying our contacts with legislators.

Mediation Resources: Do you have peace-keeping experience? We are looking for people with mediation, negotiation, conflict resolution, and other peace-making skills to be part of a resource pool for WILPF US.

Member Skills Development Committee (formerly called Leadership Training Committee): Help develop, prepare, publicize, and facilitate educational presentations on an ongoing basis.

Mini-Grants Committee: Assist branches and issue committees with projects and programs by considering and refining mini-grant proposals for appropriate projects, as well as awarding mini-grants and receiving follow up reports.

Social Media Committee: Join to study social media and prepare proposals for WILPF social media plans. Work with the Communications staff and issue committees on the following:

  • Developing and providing specific social media topic trainings to WILPFers
  • Consulting on ways to improve WILPF’s social media presence
  • Reviewing and possibly refining a proposal for a WILPF social media plan

United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) – WILPF Programs Committee: You can help support our CSW Programs through the Practicum, Local and Global Committees.

Additionally, some of the Standing Committees would like more membership involvement: 

  • Development
  • Membership Development
  • Personnel
  • Nominating

Please consider joining one of the committees listed above.

Contact WILPF US Secretary Dianne Blais at secretary@wilpfus.org for more information. Please also feel free to directly contact someone already on the committee or Committee Chair.

Don’t hesitate to volunteer!

 

 

 

 

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Earth Democracy Calls for Report of Military Carbon Emissions
Post date: Tue, 06/14/2022 - 05:10

By Nancy Price
Earth Democracy Issue Committee Co-Chair

June 2022

At the WILPF International Congress (July 16-24), the Earth Democracy Issue Committee’s panel titled “Fighting the Militarism of Extinction and Annihilation – A Feminist Perspective,” highlights the military’s carbon boot print and proposes that at the UN Climate Summit COP 27, all military carbon emissions must be annually reported. Read more here.

The goal of this panel is to engage with International’s Environmental Working Group, and for members and Sections to develop a formal CALL for the inclusion of all military emissions as part of both a country’s annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) report and each country’s Nationally Determined Contribution.

Of course, the U.S. Department of Defense and some other countries will strongly oppose this requirement, yet global militaries are responsible for 6% of the world’s annual GHG emissions and the U.S. military is the world’s largest institutional emitter of CO2.

In her presentation, Cindy will provide a feminist perspective of the U.S. government’s pretense of providing climate change leadership, while prioritizing its militarization and war preparedness to such an extent as to undermine the United States’ and the global community’s ability to achieve the UN climate goal of limiting the planet’s warming to less than a 1.5C or 2.7F rise by 2100, to stave off the most severe climate disruptions and impacts on people and the planet.

As expected, after pressure from the United States, the reporting of military emissions was excluded from the Kyoto Protocol, adopted on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. In 2015, the Paris Agreement made military emissions reporting voluntary, so today, no governments are obliged to report their military emissions.

To close this alarming loophole, our panel will consist of a twenty-minute PowerPoint presented by Cindy Piester, a member of our Earth Democracy Coordinating Committee, followed by a seventy-minute panel discussion with members of Sections, including time for Questions and Answers.

 Register Today for the International Congress  

Go here to learn more about the International Congress and to register and pay for your ticket (at the bottom of the page).

WILPF Int. Congress Banner

Making Connections: Environment, Social Justice and Demilitarisation for Feminist Peace

A week of collective decision-making and discussion for a future of feminist peace

WHEN? July, 16 - 24 2022 This year’s agenda consists of formal decision-making meetings on the weekends (16-17 July and 23-24 July), and workshops, networking, and debate sessions during weekdays (18-22 July).

WHERE? Online via Canapii – There will be a special orientation to Canapii for early registrants in June. We will show a quick video tour of the Canapii platform given by our Congress Event Coordinator, Valerie, and Congress delegates will be invited to attend a number of orientation sessions in June.

Interested in attending Congress?  Then secure your ticket now!  Registration is $15, or more to support other WILPFers’ attendance.

 

 

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In Memory of Assassinated Palestinian-American Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
Post date: Tue, 06/14/2022 - 05:02

Poster of Abu Akleh with caption “You won't silence the truth. You won’t kill the idea!” Source: Wikipedia

By Charlotte Dennett
Middle East Peace and Justice Action Committee

June 2022

It seemed impossible to describe the flood of emotions that swept through me — and millions of others—at the news on May 11 that a brave Palestinian-American journalist named Shireen Abu Akleh had been killed by an Israeli soldier. The 55-year old veteran reporter for Al-Jazeera was shot in the head as she tried to cover an Israeli raid on the West Bank refugee camp of Jenin. The Israeli government, noted Amos Harel of Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, initially resorted to the usual post-incident explanation by suggesting that nearby Palestinian terrorists were to blame. But this time, CNN did its own investigation, and concluded on May 24 that no Palestinians were anywhere near Abu Akleh and there was no active combat in the area. CNN cited as evidence newly secured videos of the scene from eye witnesses, an audio forensic analyst and an expert in explosive weapons. Their conclusion was that Abu Akleh was the victim of a targeted attack by Israeli forces.

What struck me the most, as an American born in Beirut, as a former reporter for the Beirut Daily Star, as someone who has lived with and railed against biased, pro-Israel reporting in the American media for most of my life, was the outpouring of grief by the Palestinian people for this woman. According to the New York Times she was a trailblazer in Middle East reporting, focusing on the human side of Palestinians suffering under Israeli occupation. As mourners gathered at the family home in occupied East Jerusalem, its entrance adorned by Palestinian flags and photos of Shireen, Israeli police showed up demanding the flags come down. Said one witness whose son was beaten at the funeral procession two days later, Israeli authorities fear the Palestinian flag because it represents Palestinian identity just as Shireen did.

She dared to report on the funerals of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, on the Israeli attacks on Gaza  in 2008 and 2004, and, ironically, on the 2002 Battle of Jenin, described by a UN envoy as horrific beyond belief, in which houses were bulldozed with families still inside, ambulances could not reach the injured, and Palestinians were summarily executed.

She had been asked, back in 2017, by an NBC affiliate if she was ever afraid of being shot, and she answered with disarming candor: Of course she gets scared, but when covering a story, she forgets to be scared and concentrates on positioning herself and fellow journalists in a safe place. Above all, she tries to get the story.

Barbara Taft, long-time co-chair of WILPF’s Middle East Committee, in a Memorial Day tribute to Shireen at her church in San Jose, California, reminded parishioners that this was not the first time that journalists had been targeted. “Israelis bombed the Press building in Gaza during fighting last year, destroying the offices of Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and several other news outlets that were trying to cover what was happening there,” she said. “Besides that, a total of at least 19 Palestinian journalists have been killed there since 1992.”

I have a confession to make. I did not know Shireen—my Middle East reporting was in the early 1970’s, whereas she began her journalist career in 1997—but more significantly, I did not know of her. How could that be, I asked myself?

What comes immediately to mind was an effort, in my writings for American audiences, to cite only mainstream media sources—and Israeli sources rather than Al Jazeera—so as to gain credibility. For, as many journalists and historians know, once you show any sympathy for the Palestinians, you are branded as pro-Arab and you are likely to be dismissed as “anti-Semitic”—a smear that has been used successfully for over seven decades by Israeli proponents and their American supporters to hide the truth about one of the most severe—and most censored—reigns of oppression in modern history, one that is finally being compared to apartheid South Africa.

South Africa’s Bishop Tutu Foundation described the attacks on the funeral procession as being chillingly reminiscent of the kind of brutality visited upon mourners at funerals of anti-apartheid activists in South Africa. The UN Secretary General called for an immediate investigation. Surprisingly, so too did 57 members of the US House in a letter to the FBI and the State Department, due to conflicting reports on her death.

To be sure, there should be a U.S. objection and reaction to the killing of a journalist, a famous Palestinian-American journalist at that. But how to explain the muted world reaction to the ongoing destruction of Palestinian villages? Most recently, the demolitions have increased in the West Bank villages of Masafer Yatta, whose residents fought for two decades to prevent the demolition of their homes—only to suffer a recent decision by Israel’s supreme court that their land could be used for military use. To its credit, the Guardian said this decision was reminiscent of the expulsions that occurred when occupation began in 1967, paving the way for more evictions of everyone living in the area.

Shireen Abu Akleh is known for her [now poignant] quote, “You won’t silence the truth/You won’t kill the idea.” She was right. After all the investigations are over, the story of her life – and death- will have achieved a greater international understanding that a lasting peace in the Middle East cannot happen without justice for the Palestinian people, the people she loved and so loyally served.

 

 

 

 

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The US Moves Backward as Cuba Moves Forward!
Post date: Wed, 05/25/2022 - 07:00

Photo by LVR
Photo by LVR.

US Women and Cuba Collaboration and WILPF US Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance Committee Joint Statement,
May 2022

On the Occasion of the Leaked SCOTUS Draft Ruling Promising to Overturn Abortion Rights

Endorsed by WILPF US

The US Women and Cuba Collaboration, and the WILPF US Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance Committee, in the strongest terms, support the reproductive rights guaranteed by Roe v. Wade. We are alarmed and appalled by the reasoning of the leaked SCOTUS draft ruling that would end abortion rights and that portends grievous threats to other human rights in the U.S.

WHO WE ARE: US Women and Cuba Collaboration works to empower diverse women in the US and other parts of the world. We organize in solidarity with women throughout Cuba and work to end the US economic blockade of Cuba.

WILPF's Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance Issues Committee works by empowering and educating diverse U.S. women to normalize relations between the US and the countries that comprise the Bolivarian Alliance through education, advocacy and travel.

The reasoning behind the SCOTUS attack on the rights of women is part of a coordinated wave of attacks in the U.S. that include threats on voting rights, on education, on transgender youth. The implications of the SCOTUS draft’s reasoning, that “‘unenumerated rights’ to privacy or autonomy in general have no constitutional grounding,” is a bone- chilling and dire threat to human rights. If the rule of law is going to say that we have only those constitutional rights formulated and specifically enumerated by White men in the late 18th century, then other rights such as access to contraception, the right to same-sex marriage, and the right to challenge the gender binary and to affirm trans choices will also be lost. As voting rights continue to be eroded by voting restrictions and gerrymandering, policies supported by a powerful minority who are anti-woman, anti-BIPoC, and homo- and trans-phobic will be enforced. These policies, including policies that force people to remain pregnant and give birth against their will, are cruel and immoral; their impact will fall disproportionately on poor people and people of color. The same ultraright-wing forces that oppose reproductive rights also oppose funding for prenatal care, healthcare in general, parental leave, and childcare.

Women in the US and globally are working to develop alternatives to violence, and striving to end poverty and discrimination, and to prioritize human development including the rights to health care, housing, education, and reproductive freedoms which provide the conditions for full social, cultural, and political participation for all. We want not only access to contraception and full reproductive healthcare, including abortion, but also the ability to have children and to parent and care for them in an environment free from violence, including state and police violence, in communities that support healthy families of all kinds.

Cuban Women and Families March Forward!

The women of Cuba, led by the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), participate in this global labor. Because of the Cuban Revolution, the people of Cuba have significantly realized a vision of human development that is a global model. Due to a US government information embargo, supported by US corporate media, most people in the US do not know about the spectacular gains made by Cuban women since the Cuban Revolution.

Cuba legalized abortion in 1965. That is 8 years before Roe v Wade in the US in 1973. It is 23 years before Canada's equivalent Supreme Court decision. Cuba was the first country in the western hemisphere to allow women control over their own bodies. Cuba has free and universally accessible community-based healthcare, and within this system both termination of pregnancy and support of pregnancy with excellent prenatal care is available. Community medicine and support have reduced Cuba’s infant mortality rates below those of the US. In Cuba, families have guaranteed parental leave rights. Cuba meets the UNICEF standards for parental leave. The US, with no legal support for parental leave, does not meet these standards.

In 1979 the UN General Assembly approved the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Cuba was the first to sign and the second to ratify this Convention. The US has never ratified CEDAW. Even prior to this, all discrimination against women had been outlawed by the Cuban Constitution. These protections have only been strengthened and increased in subsequent Cuban constitutions, most recently in 2019. In the U.S., the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has never been adopted.

Cuba is now creating a revised legal code that will become part of their Constitution. The code protects the rights of all people to form a family without discrimination; it updates the legal definition of family institutions, with inclusive rather than heteronormative models; it establishes the right to a family life free from violence; it treats children as the responsibility of their parents rather than as possessions; and it centers values of love, affection, solidarity and responsibility.

Women in Cuba are well represented in all areas - 62% of all doctors, over 70% of judges and attorneys general, more than half of all scientists, 53% of the representatives in Parliament, and 52% of the State Council.

The hateful and illegal US blockade is not only an economic and financial blockade, it is also a media blockade that impedes the free flow of information about Cuban women and the achievements of Cuba. The blockade is a cruel policy, one that causes suffering, deprivation, and shortages to Cuban families. It has been deliberately tightened during the COVID-19 pandemic; it hinders access to medicines, supplies, and necessary equipment. Please join our work to end the blockade, and to educate the U.S. about the model of Cuba as we fight in the U.S. for reproductive rights and justice.

www.womenandcuba.org
Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance | WILPF 

WILPF US offers a brief overview of the Supreme Court abortion rulings, starting with Roe, and related information about the U.S. legal terrain on reproductive choice and abortion rights. For this background document, collaboratively developed by Darien De Lu, President, and Joan Goddard, Convener of the WILPF Advancing Human Rights Committee, click here. 

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Immediate actions to take to push for Ukraine diplomatic solutions
Post date: Fri, 05/06/2022 - 08:35

Photo credit: From the PeaceInUkraine.org resources
 

WILPF US is dismayed that the war in Ukraine continues, while U.S. government policies appear to seek weakening Russia as a state, rather than pursuing a peace that can save  thousands of Ukraine lives. 

The Peace in Ukraine coalition has flyers, posters, explanatory statements, and talking points on their website that provide alternative messages about diplomatic ways to end the Ukraine-Russia war – rather than only providing more arms. 

Two entities we can seek to influence in order to bring this deadly war to an end are the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, and the US government. 

Organize and act now to educate others and take action!

Messages for your Congressional Representative: deliver between Now and May 7th

We urge all WILPF members to do some action on Saturday, May 7, especially.  Focus on educating your Congressional representatives and the general public about negotiations. Take these steps to pressure for a negotiated peace:

(1) Reduce the risk of nuclear war by removing intermediate and tactical missiles from NATO countries that host them and from the western Russian borders.

(2) Call for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian forces (see the WILPF open letter to the UN Security Council), and for Ukraine to declare itself neutral.

(3) Call for Ukraine to declare itself neutral

(4) Begin peace talks hosted by the United Nations, including NATO, Russia, Ukraine, and the USA.

We are keeping the demand message simple to simplify its distribution. Your Congressional rep may be home, so try to make an appointment to tell them you want them to work on these three actions. You can also correspond with them after May 7.

Messages to bring to the General Public on May 7

There is a peace alternative to the USA and NATO providing more and more weapons to Ukraine. WILPF US is part of a large coalition of peace groups called Peace in Ukraine, which has a website with resources to help us distribute various messages about ending the Ukraine-Russia war.

Go to your local Farmer’s Market, or other plaza with lots of foot traffic, especially on Saturday, May 7, and hand out the flyer you can download from the website. The resources section provides talking points, explanatory statements, flyers, and several posters. You can make your information sheet using the three demands listed above. As long as this war continues, we, the peacemakers, need to be talking to the public so that we can hand out flyers in public places after May 7.

Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper –aiming for publication around May 7th

We must counter the widespread public opinion that sending more weapons to Ukraine is the way to win this war, it is not a winnable war, it has the potential to last for years, costing more lives, more US taxpayers’ money, more harm to the world economy and more degradation of the environment.  World Beyond War has written six different letters to the editor touching on these various outcomes of the war and what we should be demanding of our government.  These sample letters are posted here for us to edit and send to our newspapers, post on blogs, FACEBOOK accounts, and Instagram.

Thank you to those branches and members who demonstrated against Lockheed Martin in late April

Lockheed Martin is by far the largest weapons producer in the world. From Ukraine to Yemen, from Palestine to Colombia, from Somalia to Syria, from Afghanistan and West Papua to Ethiopia, no one profits more from war and bloodshed than Lockheed Martin.  In the April eNews we asked WILPFers to demonstrate outside one of the hundreds of Lockheed Martin facilities during the week of April 21 to 28. You can read about the branches that took part in this global mobilization in other articles [link to LockheedMartin article] this May eNews.

Please write disarmchair@wilpfus.org with your questions or comments, and let us know what’s happening for peace and sanity in your neighborhood!

 

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Committee Updates: Plan to be part of a change!
Post date: Fri, 05/06/2022 - 08:05

 

WILPF US Offers Grants for the Poor People's Campaign Rally!

The WILPF PPC Committee is excited to offer grants for costs associated with attending the June 18 rally in DC. We are grateful to the WILPF board and branches for making money available to those members who would like assistance. If you or your branch wish to donate to this fund, please contact Jan Corderman at jancorderman@msn.com following the application. Please read this document and submit your information no later than June 1 by emailing to both committee members listed.

Emily Keel, WILPF liaison to PPC
ppc-comm@wilpfus.org

U.S. Section Delegation for the 2022 International Congress

WILPF US is pleased to announce the U.S. Section Delegation for the 2022 International Congress (July 15/16-24): 

Delegates
Darien De Lu, Mary Hanson Harrison, Barbara Nielsen, Deanna (“Dee”) Murphy

Alternates
(This order indicates who is first, second, etc. to vote as a delegate if one of the other delegates is not available during a voting session or if, otherwise, there is a delegate vacancy.)
1) Odile Hugonot-Haber, 2) Theresa El-Amin, 3) Ellen Thomas, 4) Dianne Blais.

The 2022 Philippine Elections – the Election of our Lives!

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! We must bring to light one of the most critical elections happening on the other side of the world, the Philippines. The revolutionary, Leni Robredo, is making moves and making a difference. Learn more about her running and plan to dismantle Duterte’s regime in this eNews article. 
 

 

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WAR in UKRAINE CONTINUES: Actions for you to take to push for diplomatic solutions
Post date: Fri, 05/06/2022 - 06:50

Photo credit: From the PeaceInUkraine.org resources

By Cherrill Spencer and Ellen Thomas

May 2022

WILPF US is dismayed that the war in Ukraine continues, while U.S. government policies appear to seek weakening Russia as a state, rather than pursuing a peace that can save  thousands of Ukraine lives. 

The Peace in Ukraine coalition has flyers, posters, explanatory statements, and talking points on their website that provide alternative messages about diplomatic ways to end the Ukraine-Russia war – rather than only providing more arms. 

Two entities we can seek to influence in order to bring this deadly war to an end are the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, and the US government. 

Organize and act now to educate others and take action!

Messages for your Congressional Representative: deliver between Now and May 7th

We urge all WILPF members to do some action on Saturday, May 7, especially.  Focus on educating your Congressional representatives and the general public about negotiations. Take these steps to pressure for a negotiated peace:

(1) Reduce the risk of nuclear war by removing intermediate and tactical missiles from NATO countries that host them and from the western Russian borders.

(2) Call for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian forces (see the WILPF open letter to the UN Security Council), and for Ukraine to declare itself neutral.

(3) Call for Ukraine to declare itself neutral

(4) Begin peace talks hosted by the United Nations, including NATO, Russia, Ukraine, and the USA.

We are keeping the demand message simple to simplify its distribution. Your Congressional rep may be home, so try to make an appointment to tell them you want them to work on these three actions. You can also correspond with them after May 7.

Messages to bring to the General Public on May 7

There is a peace alternative to the USA and NATO providing more and more weapons to Ukraine. WILPF US is part of a large coalition of peace groups called Peace in Ukraine, which has a website with resources to help us distribute various messages about ending the Ukraine-Russia war.

Go to your local Farmer’s Market, or other plaza with lots of foot traffic, especially on Saturday, May 7, and hand out the flyer you can download from the website. The resources section provides talking points, explanatory statements, flyers, and several posters. You can make your information sheet using the three demands listed above. As long as this war continues, we, the peacemakers, need to be talking to the public so that we can hand out flyers in public places after May 7.

Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper –aiming for publication around May 7th

We must counter the widespread public opinion that sending more weapons to Ukraine is the way to win this war, it is not a winnable war, it has the potential to last for years, costing more lives, more US taxpayers’ money, more harm to the world economy and more degradation of the environment.  World Beyond War has written six different letters to the editor touching on these various outcomes of the war and what we should be demanding of our government.  These sample letters are posted here for us to edit and send to our newspapers, post on blogs, FACEBOOK accounts, and Instagram.

Thank you to those branches and members who demonstrated against Lockheed Martin in late April

Lockheed Martin is by far the largest weapons producer in the world. From Ukraine to Yemen, from Palestine to Colombia, from Somalia to Syria, from Afghanistan and West Papua to Ethiopia, no one profits more from war and bloodshed than Lockheed Martin.  In the April eNews we asked WILPFers to demonstrate outside one of the hundreds of Lockheed Martin facilities during the week of April 21 to 28. You can read about the branches that took part in this global mobilization in other articles [link to LockheedMartin article] this May eNews.

Please write disarmchair@wilpfus.org with your questions or comments, and let us know what’s happening for peace and sanity in your neighborhood!

 

Read more >>>
We Must Do MORE!
Post date: Fri, 05/06/2022 - 06:44

By Emily Keel
WILPF liaison to the PPC

May 2022

We are in the last month of preparation for the Mass Poor People's and Low Wage Workers'  Assembly on June 18 in Washington, DC. Anticipation is growing, and so is the number of people committing to travel to this history-making, generationally transformative event. “This is not a day of action. It is a declaration of an ongoing, committed moral movement to 1) Build power, 2) Shift the political narrative, and 3) Make real policies to fully address poverty and low wealth from the bottom up”, co-chairs Bishop Barber and Rev Theoharis tell us.  

WILPF members will be flying, busing, driving, and coming by train to the events on June 18, and some will stay for ancillary events with Code Pink and the PPC. As one of the two solidarity actions chosen by our branches, uniting at this event has a powerful significance to many of us. We hope to gather as one group and display our branch banners and WILPF US/PPC logos. We will be getting off Zoom and getting into the streets! Our members have long been passionate about immigrant rights, ecological devastation, the war economy and militarism, the threats of uncontrolled corporate power and big money to our individual rights and freedoms, the economic stability of families and individuals, and the human right to safe food and water. These are areas in which WILPF members have worked for decades. Now we have a chance to join the national campaign to demand these considerations for all people. 

We all suffer when we are denied the support for social and environmental needs because we have poured billions into the war industry. We have a chance to make our voices heard and change our nation's moral narrative by showing up in numbers far too large to be ignored. Read why we must have this assembly and moral march in 2022 here. Let's join in liberating the politicians and ruling class from all the ways they hold us down as sung by Matthew David Morris here in Lift From the Bottom.

Several of our current members were a part of the 1968 Poor People's March in DC with Coretta Scott King and Ralph Abernathy following Dr. King's assassination. That historic event demanded economic justice over a period just longer than a month before being forced to cease.  If you were a part of those events, please contact me and tell me about the history that you were a part of then. Our nation's horrific shame is that we are fighting the same battles 54 years later. We watch as the 140 million poor and low wealth citizens continue to be kicked to the sidelines as we favor those with wealth, military might, and corporate affiliations.   

The campaign offers scholarships for travel to DC for low-income people through your state campaign. Find the contacts for each state here. WILPF will announce some scholarships for our members with information on how to apply. There will also be WILPF PPC buttons distributed to branches for free and T-shirts (union made) that combine our logos that we can order from WILPF. If you are not able to join us in DC, think of contributing to travel for others by going here.

If you are planning to travel by the rally.co bus program, I have additional details about that ride-share service and will share those if you contact me.   

Please continue to reach out to friends, your faith group, labor organizations, civic groups, and others to let them know the importance of this event and the power of joining together.  As Bishop Barber has said, “We cannot address labor rights in one place, health care one place, voting rights in another place. We must say that we want all our rights, and we want them now!” This is a united movement, and our entire democracy is at stake. 

If you plan to be with us as WILPF joins with the Poor People's Campaign and have not completed the recent survey sent by eAlert, please contact me at ppc-comm@wilpfus.org.  Let me know if there are questions or ways that I may help in your plans, and thanks for joining us!

 

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Leadership and Volunteering in WILPF
Post date: Fri, 05/06/2022 - 06:39

By Darien De Lu
President

May 2022

In WILPF, we ask a lot of our volunteers, especially our volunteer leaders. Through the work WILPF volunteers do, they gain experience in activism and in WILPF, and the projects of our organization go forward. On the branch and national levels, WILPF members willing to take on tasks and responsibilities do so by making the choice to volunteer – and having that choice available to them. They are often de facto leaders.

All WILPF members support WILPF’s principles and goals, so I hope all of us appreciate those who volunteer to support WILPF work and those who model good leadership. While some volunteers are happy to pursue support positions, other members ask how they can become part of WILPF leadership. This article briefly presents the volunteering route to leadership in WILPF.

I recognize that the inequalities of U.S. society limit how and how much a given member can volunteer... I see that those WILPF members with WILPF and activist experience, who can volunteer, are most often the ones who become leaders. Many members might also be well qualified to lead, yet they are less able to offer their time to WILPF. In other words, the volunteer-based structure of WILPF – and especially the amount of volunteer time asked of leaders – limits who is able to be a leader in WILPF.

WILPF seeks to address various social and economic injustices, and this limitation – on our choices of how we use our time – is as an aspect of such injustices. The paradox is that, for WILPF to take action against injustice, we WILPFers must volunteer our time and/or donate our money (which is frequently a sort of “extract” of time). Nearly every person can choose to volunteer for at least a few minutes a month to do some kind of WILPF work. Our movement depends on that commitment – the often difficult choices – to make time and take action to do something. As President, I’m very thankful to all of you and your decisions to support WILPF. Yet this article is particularly for those of you who aspire to leadership and are able to offer more of your time.

If you can do that, WILPF has opportunities for you to take action in support of your principles. As a WILPF member participating in an issue committee, an hoc committee, or a project you take a key step to leadership. Additionally, the interactions that committee work usually requires are important to build relationships of understanding and trust.

Consequently, informing yourself about committee and project options is a step toward leadership. You can find the list of issue committees on the WILPF website; get in contact with them through their web pages. To connect with the ad hoc committees and related projects, watch for relevant Alerts and eNews articles (including in this month’s issue). Or you can contact a Board member who works in your area of interest (see the Board information  here). Your initiative to reach out is a step toward your leadership development.

 

This is a route you needn’t travel alone! WILPF enjoys an abundance of experienced activists and leaders. You’re likely to meet some in your committee work, and many are honored to be asked to offer encouragement and suggestions to you. WILPF leaders and long-time members understand that WILPF depends on new leadership to survive! You have the special chance to develop an in-person relationship with a more experienced member if you’re in a branch. (If you’re not near a branch, take advantage of our virtual Jane Addams Branch to enjoy many of the benefits of a branch. Inquire via info@wilpfus.org.)

 

When you join WILPF and commit your time to act in support of your principles; when you make the choice to work in a committee or on a project; when you weave a connection with other WILPFers, developing the skills to interact well; when you gain practice and experience; when you develop an overview of an issue or of certain WILPF work –  then you are proceeding along the route to WILPF leadership.

 

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